Federal government: A great big zero for South Sudanese!

We must owe to know that our problem in South Sudan is ‘nothing’ related to the governance. It’s the people who are politically and socially puzzled. Everyone has been obliged to learn from experience, lest he/she might have had been mistaking the alligator for a crocodile.

South Sudan is not like post-colonial states in Africa where political powers were entrusted to the nationals to govern themselves after the colonialists had left the continent. It’s a country founded by people who waged a terrible civil war against Khartoum’s Arab regime for the sake of freedom, justice and equality.

Although South Sudanese had voted at a referendum to determine their destiny – however – history has manifested in our lives that SPLM/A has shown up for everything during the civil war in Sudan – and the SPLM has been trying to do its best as expected, that is all.

South Sudan is a country with a ‘class’ of powerful political elites. These elites had caused the conflict that erupted in Juba in December 2013, which ensued into rebellion led by Dr Machar.

Our people are the real problem, not the system of governance. They should change their ways of handling political, social and economical issues. It’s your uncle and my uncle who must reduce their politico-military speeds when politicking – or South Sudanese may one time desert the country like Somalis if things never change.

Federal system of government may not materialize or be taken wrongly if we don’t correct wrong political traditions, corruption, ethnic-politics and regionalism. If you wanted to change anything in South Sudan, you must involve the majority – all South Sudanese. Those who are advocating for federal system shall end up antagonizing themselves if they don’t win in the long run. It’s a miserable political decision.

We should not think of problematizing ourselves politically. Federal system is not supposed to be the first choice for intelligent people. It’s the central system of government that should be the first choice for the new nation, like South Sudan.

Federal government is irresponsible. It has caused unreliable fiscal policies, brought about the banking system collapse and economic failure in Argentina in 2001. The EU has serious problems with federalism; and the federal states have also seen little incentive to undertake fiscal stimulation when much of it had leaked beyond their borders.

Will federal system of government stop Juba political crisis, bring peace and reduce land-grabbing excuses in Equatoria? It’s a great big zero!

We shouldn’t be like priests in the church who usually urge fellow Christians to confess for the sins they don’t see physically.

Federal system is not the solution to political crisis in the country. It’s not also the answer to internal problems within the ruling party. And it will not make any governor in the greater Equatoria region as president for federalizing the new nation.

It’s an offensive decision to other people, if all of us aren’t dreaming about federal government in the new nation.

Federalism is nothing more than a way of trying to ‘regionalize’ and control people’s resources that have been preached by the governors in Yambio and Juba in order to grease and gear up their political wheels in the greater Equatoria region.

In Yambio as I lived, any non-Azande is called ‘aworo’, if I can remember the spelling. This means someone is from different place, tribe and kingdom. When an Azande calls you an aworo, then he/she feels pity about you or hates you for being in their county or town.

As Azande hate other tribes, especially Dinka, will aworo mentality not change to ethnic federal system? Or is it not going to be another era of Azande kingdom in democratic South Sudan?

I do respect the choice of others but why do we need to federalize our country while experiencing political turmoil? The clever boys from greater Equatoria region shouldn’t try to shield or ‘hide’ Equatoria democracy called ‘kokora’ on federalism.

However, Federal government is helpless and divisive at this political situation in our country. It will work after a decade if given a pause.

Federal system of government is a good idea at the wrong time. South Sudanese shouldn’t also temper to accept federal system of government that has been initiated by the governors and rebels who are currently killing our people.

As we had decided to secede from Sudan, it should be the will of majority to federalize South Sudan, not by the individuals and willing political ‘cluster’ in the greater Equatoria region and the rebels.

South Sudan is not a company. It’s a country where millions of lives were lost for the sake of freedom, not federalism.

South Sudan is a country with ethnic-based politics. With federal system, people shall forms kingdoms in the states if things fall apart. Or political leaders in the states who shall be given enough powers by the federal government will misuse the resources, mistreat the minority and the whole country will encounter daily insecurity and death like Rumbek, Lakes state.

Federal states had failed its people in Africa. Therefore, Boko Haram has invaded the federal state of Nigeria, and the government is unable to handle the situation. Boko Haram has also abducted many girls and mothers have remained shedding tears. It is horrifying, more difficult to control. And finally, I believe that the federal government is not going to win the war.

Ethiopia has been ethnically federalized, their economy shattered, and looming ethnic tension was felt in the country. The federal government in Ethiopia isn’t feeding its people, not doing well to improve trade with neighboring countries. That is why Ethiopians are everywhere in the villages doing small-scale businesses in South Sudan.

Why should one man decide for million of people in their new nation?

Deng Mangok Ayuel is a freelance writer, blogger and lives in Aweil, South Sudan. He can be reached via mongokson@gmail.com. Deng also blogs at: theshoeshinereyes.wordpress.com

11 Comments

I’ m absolutely concur with you brother, both our general populous and some of our leaders dont just learned from their hindsighed as wisdom often grew out of experiences and experiences grow out of mistakes, then when are we going to learned from our mistakes? failures to learned from your pass mistakes qualify you to be incorrigible and oxymoron.

Also our tribal fanaticism, transigence, and unwillingness to accept oursslves as equal…the wounds are too deep, the barriers are too widen out, it did seem worth the effort if we can.

Please! please, listen to this manyango phrases…look and look carefully,look critically…it is about our federation as we usually talks of it…isnt a phantom? and people commence to grope at it, but it needs the following sieve throu
1) freedoms greater than self-control…develop mental confusion
2) freedoms less than self-control…develop mental frustration
3) freedoms equal to self-control…develop mental harmony

self-control is not an academic discipline, it is a moral behavior to control your tongue and make sound judgments and ability to control negative emotion.

Stay put in Mading Aweil. You have clearly shown your paranoia for Federalism as is shown by almost every other Dinka. Whether you folks like it or not, Federalism is on it’s way in South Sudan.

South Sudan has been shaky since the SPLM dominated government came to power. There were many desenting voices about the excesses of the Dinka-dominated government. There were calls for reforms but alas all cries fell on deaff ears.

Government officials want to run government business the cattle camp style! We need Federalism in South Sudan to sobber up those drunk with power and ill acquired wealth; Deng, use the Awiel rice scheme to develop the local population (by providing them with jobs) and feed the whole South Sudan and indeed the region. Stop looking at South Sudan as a whole develop your backyard first. That’s the way to go!

You are right Eastern
i would give many thanks for your comments, you know those who talking that no federal, their the one enjoy there right now, others used public resources for for they own, that why their do,nt mind, so all in all we fight for federal system and not for Equatorians alone.

Deng,
I am from Equatoria, I am been called Aworo by my Azendi brothers, I take no offense about that, the word simply a person who come from the East. You the Dinkas are like the Arabs of Sudan, if do something wrong you will argue that is right, if a non- Dinka did it then it’s a crime. That could be the reason that even in the neighboring countries you people are hated, even the West. You call people as Jour/ Dowar, for discrimination reason. Why are scared of federalism? Let the civilized people rule themselves in the minor they deemed to be fair for them, and for people, go and turn your states like the Lakes state. Frankly speaking if there something needed to change in South Sudan; it’s the stuiped mentality of born to rule. It’s better now people are asking for federalism then a country of their own.

Mr.Coward Junubin,
When the biter war between the north and South was fought,you were on hiding and you could not open your big mouth when your husbands Arabs were in Equatoria. we Dinka whom you hated today had stand firm for the cause of South Sudan till there is today Republic of South Sudan.there is nothing Dinka wants to take from Equatoria as you may think because if it a matter of wealth,we are more wealthy then equatorians.if it a matter of land,we have lands that can double your lands.however,somebody like Mangok Ayuel concern here is union among South Sudanese people period.therefore those who are advocating for federal system will miserable failed to achieve it in South Sudan whether you like it or not.

Toney Matot, you’re cowardly like all Dinkas who like to flap their mouths and argue about their bravery when in actual facts Dinkas are nothing but cowards. Tell me which towns in Dinkaland did any of you liberate? Wau? Bor? Malakal? Rumbek? What made all Dinkas run from their areas to Equatoria? If you’re the brave warriors you are claiming, how come you left your areas when the Nuers roared? And, how come in the latest conflict you’d to run tails tack between your legs to Uganda begging them to help you? Are these not the actions of cowards? If you’re the brave warriors why not face the Nuers one to one or Equatorians one to one to see what will happen to you! You’re just cowards who think that your number gives you and advantage in war. But you forget that the AK-47 has level the fight field.

My fellows brothers and Sisters of Equatorians leave them, some body land its not simple just post yourself in, time will come where by we talk face to face, dinkas there thinking because their numbers is big to fight equatorians, but does not mean like that. we shall not develop this country if we are to fight all, first able all of you go and protect your land from Nuers, then you come back to us.

Any decision barabarically taken without thinking of the result is an evil. Bukasuro, the governor of Yambio is now arrested in Juba. If you wanted others to act barbarically, then I am not part of the game. Kokoratists are more descrimanting than Dinka, believe me. I wanted us to unite. That is my reason, mr junbin.

Toney, We the Equatorians shot the first bullet towards the enemy, where were you? You were wearing Jalabia with the sons of your sister the Arabs. Arabs are enemies ya, not to the extend of grabbing peopl’s proparties and the looting spree your ilk are doing in Juba. The good thing is that, your sick dream of forming Monydiang kingdom is gone with the wind, let the Weywey leave and we will see. As for you mony Medeng Awiel, let your leader arrest Bokosoro or let him try Clement to accelerate his demise. You people are trying the whole country like Lakes State

centeralism or federalism:more than good to see them debated openly n constructively.Consensus on one over other or other over one,not any cause of stress for me.But how could it be explained,the fact that no single car ever reached Wau since two months?Say the whole of bahar el ghazal is cut off without provisions by bad road conditions.One sac of sugar 50 kg costs 750 south sudanese pounds today in Wau.How much does it cost in such northwords towns like Kuacjok,Gogrial n Aweil?more n more of the value.Considering this,but forgive me.This is the dying state of the country we have fought for.Is this a less painful subject to bring to the media?

“It’s an offensive decision to other people” sums it all. But majority likes it. what you can do is to accept or leave South Sudan like Somalian.
Since Jieng are the majority 40% the minority 60% Nuer, Equatorians and Fertit will loose and you will win.
Dinkas are not called AWORO for nothing there also other AWOROS in Yambio but why only Dinakas hated out of other 63 tribes of AWORO in Yambio? Find out!!!!!!!!!!